


Quiet Embrace

by KikiYushima



Series: Moonflower Shipping Fics [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 14:58:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17082485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikiYushima/pseuds/KikiYushima
Summary: It's hard to hate someone after you learn their secrets.





	Quiet Embrace

**Author's Note:**

> There’s a quiet place / In my embrace / A haven of safety where / I’ll dry your tears / Shelter here / In my care  
> \---  
> This particular piece is written a little strangely because I have a rewrite of the series planned, but my brain’s fighting me on it, so I haven’t actually written it yet. Because of that, I’ve left some things purposely vague to avoid spoilers, though there are a few allusions to a pretty big one for it. This scene takes place anywhere from mid V2 to early V3 and picks up after Winter basically forces her and Qrow to talk due to her sister and his nieces being on Team RWBY and she ended up having a massive breakdown.
> 
> The poem at the end of the piece is The Cloths of Heaven by W. B. Yeats.

Qrow fell silent as he watched Winter sob. Damn. Just… _Damn_. He’d wanted to avoid this because of how much of a bit he’d thought she was but… After Ruby and Yang had insisted… Now he just…

    Damn it all.

    He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Look, Ice— Winter—” It’d be hard to stop calling her that after six years of it but now… “—I didn’t mean to make you spill everything. You didn’t have to reveal _that_ much to me…” She’d dredged up damn near every skeleton in the Schnee family’s closet. He had known Jacques was twisted, but he hadn’t expected the festering carcass that laid behind those blue eyes.

    Winter forced herself to sit up and wiped her tears away, though they continued to fall. He pulled a few tissues from his pocket and she hesitated before taking them. “Thank you, Mist— I mean, Qrow. And it’s not your fault. Everything just sort of…came tumbling out. In the end, I’m nothing more than twenty-two years of repressed emotions and unresolved trauma.” SHe closed her eyes and sighed, shoulders dropping. He couldn’t hate her anymore… Not after learning all of _that_ … His heart really did go out to her. In some ways, she reminded him of—

    He shoved the unbidden thought aside, rubbing the bottom of his nose with a finger. “Are you gonna be all right tonight? I know how hard it can be to not have a support network.” He hated getting personal and didn’t want to, but after she’d _shattered_ her pride like that… It wasn’t fair he didn’t offer her at least a little in return. He just… He couldn’t stand to see somebody hurt like this. Plus, it wasn’t like Jimmy could offer her any emotional support…not that she was even in Vale on his orders…

    A light dusting of pink entered the colonel’s cheeks and his own heated when he realised the unintentional implications. He covered his mouth with a hand and coughed awkwardly. “Er… Winter… I didn’t mean it like— I just mean that I know you don’t want Weiss to see you like this, and after baring your soul like this to somebody… I just know it helps to have somebody on hand to talk to if you need it.” He couldn’t count the number of times his mother, sister, and especially Summer had been there for him after he’d had a break dover something his Semblance had caused. It was just…hard to have constant bad luck. He didn’t want to cause Winter any troubles but… He wasn’t about to tell her to go suffer in silence again after she’d been forced to for twenty-two years.

    Winter’s gaze drifted down to her hands and she sighed again, closing her eyes. It took every ounce of self-restraint he had to not reach out and offer physical comfort, but with her so shattered at the moment… The last thing she needed was a man that had antagonised her for six years was to hold her. Her head just bowed and she nodded. “I…really don’t think it’d be a good idea for me to be alone tonight. I just…” She covered half of her face with a hand, more tears pouring down her cheeks. Ancestors, he’d never thought he’d see Colonel Winter Schnee in such a sorry state but…

    He grabbed one of the sticky notes off of Ruby’s desk and jotted down an address and room number. “It’s the hotel I always stay at. Nobody there’ll ask questions. They all keep their mouths shut.” It took a pretty lien to keep everything hushed, but it was better than info leaking out. Ozpin would’ve had his ass on a silver platter had he heard some of the things he said while shitfaced.

    Winter gave a small nod and stood up. “I’ll be there later. I need a little bit of time to gather my things and get a less conspicuous outfit…” Civilian dress or not, it was still too high end for the neighborhood he was staying in.

    “Here.” He took the note back and jotted his number down. “Shoot me a call or text when you’re close.” It’d just give him a bit head’s up so he wasn’t blindsided by her arrival. She just gave a nod. He left the dorm, giving a small grunt.

    He had a bit of cleaning to do.

* * *

 

    Qrow’s scroll buzzed a little over an hour later, number unknown. _About two blocks and ten minutes away_. Well, at least that confirmed it was Winter. With a sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck and phoned the front desk.

    “Hey Joe, someone’ll be here and ask for me soon. Send her straight here and keep your damn mouth shut about who she is to anybody.” He knew how important Winter’s reputation was to her and didn’t want it ruined by this getting out. She was cold and proud for _good_ reason and he wasn’t about to shatter her pride more than she already had herself not too long ago.

    A soft chuckle answered him on the other end. “Got another lady friend coming for you, Qrow? You know I always—”

    “ _I will fucking castrate you if say another bad word about this or say anything suggestive to her._ That or this whole damn build will go up in flame because of my Semblance.” The line crackled quietly, a soft click being the only answer. Winter had enough to deal with at the moment and didn’t need some snide, suggestive asshole comment when she arrived. He had a good relationship with Joe and knew the outburst wouldn’t dampen it at all. Plus, he was the man’s best patron when in town, so he wouldn’t betray his trust. He just shook his head and turned the knob, opening the door a little to let her have instant access.

    About ten minutes later, a soft knock sounded on the door and it creaked open a little. He looked over his shoulder from the chair, sighing when he saw her cover her mouth. The scent of whiskey permeated the room, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. “Sorry ‘bout the smell. I did what I could, but there’s only so much an hour of airing out can do.” He felt bad for subjecting her to to such a bad trigger, but none of the other rooms were open.

    She pulled the hood down, her white hair falling around her shoulders and shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll adapt soon enough. With how bad Willow was last I saw her, I’m used to it.” She leaned against the door and closed it, clicking the lock and drawing the chain. Her grey-blue eyes drifted down and he could sense just how _lost_ and alone she felt. It reminded him of Summer in their earliest Beacon days. He shook the thoughts away and motioned for her to come in more. After a moment of hesitation, she walked over to the table and opened the bag, starting to pull a few folders out.

    But he stood up and put a gentle hand over hers. She tensed slightly under the touch and he released her, giving a shake of his head. “Winter, when was the last time you really got to rest? You’ve been busy for the past few weeks especially here in Vale. Dealing with investors, organising finances, training the kids for the Vytal Festival, helping Ironwood try to root out the White Fang… Have you gotten a full night’s sleep since the fallout?” Honestly, the fact she still had makeup on was telling enough. She’d shattered her emotional pride, but she wanted to maintain at least a modicum of it physically.

    Her expression and shoulders just fell, head bowed. “…I’m lucky to get four hours right now. I’m exhausted but there’s just so much left to do…”

    Qrow pulled his chair up next to hers, though not close enough to touch her again. He wasn’t going to pull a Jacques, so he just gave a nod of understanding. “I get it. You have a lot of important jobs to handle. You don’t want to let anything escape your notice, but wearing yourself down like this isn’t helping anybody, Winter. You can hide from basically everyone else, but I see how ragged you’re running yourself.” He kept his tone soft and gentle, but she closed her eyes and brought a hand over them. It was surprisingly difficult to see her like this. He’d always just thought of her as some sort of perfection machine, but seeing her human side…

    She put her bag on the ground and actually pulled her knees into her chest with a heavy sigh. “I know, but we both know the higher ups of the SDC will exploit me at the first sign of weakness they see. Angered over Mister Gelé’s attempt at line theft or not, I’ll be prey if I waver for even a moment.” Her hand shifted to cover a side of her face. Her words hung in the air and he could hardly blame her for being exhausted. The past couple of months had _not_ been kind to her, Weiss, and even their bratty little brother. At least she didn’t have to worry about him since she’d brought him to Beacon with her…

    “How about we stop talking about this and move onto more pleasant things?” This was supposed to be a reprieve for her, not drive her further into the ground by discussing her issues. She needed somebody to confide in, sure, but right now? She just needed a bit of quiet and relaxation.

    Thankfully, she gave a small nod and he fished a book out of his bag. She raised an eyebrow at the volume of Atlassian poetry, making a bit of heat come to his cheeks. “I didn’t take you for the cultured type.”

    “…I never managed to give it to the person who asked for it.” He’d been on a mission in Atlas to see about locating one of the Order fountains, so Summer had asked him to pick up the book for her while he was there. It was a signed copy from the author which is why he’d had to pick it up. Her last mission had been while he’d been there.

    Winter remained silent for a few moments before nodding. “I see. Why did—”

    “Winter, you need to sleep. Please.” She just looked down and away. “I’m not judging you anymore. If not for yourself, then for Weiss. She’d worry if she saw how exhausted you were.” He felt _awful_ for trying to make her do something when Jacques had controlled her so much for so long. But she was killing herself and nobody seemed to be able to slow her down…at least until now. He was trying to be gentle about it but…

    She pushed herself out of the chair and wobbled a bit. A gentle touch supported her back and he felt the subtle tremor pass through her, but he could feel her shaking worse from the sheer exhaustion rather than fear. He helped her over to the bed where she all but collapsed. He pulled the covers over her and settled her head in his lap, running a hand through her hair. Despite everything, he felt her lean into the touch a little and he couldn’t help but smile faintly. She didn’t like being touched, but she still craved physical contact like most people.

    “It’ll be all right, Winter. You’re safe here.” She gave a small nod and closed her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. It took him only a moment to crack open the book and read a random poem.

 

    “ _Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,_  
_Enwrought with golden and silver light,_  
_The blue and the dim and the dark cloths_  
_Of night and light and the half light,_  
_I would spread the cloths under your feet:_  
_But I, being poor, have only my dreams;_  
_I have spread my dreams under your feet;_ _  
_ _Tread softly because you tread on my dreams_.”

 

It didn’t take a genius to feel her slow, steady breaths and the lack of tension in her body, though she curled into a ball on her side. He continued petting her head gently, the tension continuing to melt away bit by bit.

    “Sleep well, Winter. Nobody will harm you tonight.”


End file.
